I almost died the day these black bean cookies were being made and photographed for the blog.
Not really, but kind of.
It has been in the upper 80s in Tucson for the past week or so, thus, I’ve been taking advantage of the warmth and laying out trying to get some color back into my winter white skin.
On Saturday afternoon, I was doing just that….doors were open, kids were going in and out busying themselves with riding their princess cars, when I hear the oven beep for the baked cookies.
Upon running into the house in my skivvies, my oldest daughter starts crying out in terror and pointing at the ceiling. I then look up and see one of the biggest, scariest-looking wasps I’ve ever laid eyes on.
I am TERRIFIED of stinging insects. I once stepped on a wasp as a child, which stung my foot and left me writhing in agonizing pain for two days.
My husband has also informed me to be very afraid of wasps (bless his heart for being at work on this particular day), so I am beyond petrified at this point.
After garnering all the courage I can muster and shooing the girls into their room, I start swatting wildly at this behemoth of a beast (why we don’t possess a fly swatter that I can locate when needed, I do not know).
Luckily, I get in a good hit, and my nemesis goes down! Hurray!
Not so fast.
For the next (literally) 10 minutes, I am in a back and forth grapple with the quarry that will NOT die! After multiple squashings with everything from couch pillows to recipe notebooks, he finally goes down hard, getting lodged between the runners of our sliding glass doors.
Before finally decimating my enemy with a crumpled up piece of notebook paper, I get a good look at him and hear the final notes of what will be his last buzzing.
I swear to you, this mother had a skull and crossbones tattoo in the middle of his back right below the implied one that said ‘sting or die’.
Once splattered into oblivion, he was unceremoniously scraped and dumped into the trash canister, where I fear he may be currently resurrecting and plotting my demise the next time I take out a sack of dirty diapers.
I truly believe he only came into our home because of the deliciousness that is this recipe.
Delicious fudgy, chocolat-y cookies that taste sinfully, but are secretly made with beans.
- 1 15 oz can black beans , rinsed and drained
- 2 T . olive or melted coconut oil
- 2 T . brown rice flour
- 1/2 t . baking powder or baking soda (baking powder helps to hold the cookies together better, but baking soda gives a better taste to the cookie)
- 1/2 t . sea salt
- 6 T . cocoa powder
- 4 T . coconut sugar (or another natural granulated sweetener)
- 2 T . maple syrup or honey
- 1 T . milk (I like using light coconut milk for its richness and flavor, but any will work)
- 1/4 t . (scant) powdered stevia extract
- 2 t . vanilla
- 1/4 c . chopped dark chocolate
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Put all of the ingredients into a food processor in the order listed (except for the chopped chocolate).
- Process until smooth and well combined (2-3 minutes), scraping down the sides as needed.
- Using a spoon, scoop the dough out onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (I get 12 decent-sized cookies).
- Top each cookie with a sprinkle of the chopped dark chocolate.
- Bake the cookies for 19-21 minutes.
- Cool completely. This is VERY important, as it allows the cookies to set and hold together upon being picked up, as they have no binder or gluten.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition facts are based on using olive oil, baking soda, coconut sugar, honey, and unsweetened almond milk. Weight Watchers point (new system): 5
Adapted from this recipe
Remembering back to the hedonistic eating days of my youth, I recall gorging myself on Grandma’s Fudge Chocolate Chip Cookies, which is exactly what these remind me of (as validated by my bridegroom).
They are soft, chocolat-y, and perfectly sweet.
If you so choose to embark on this baking experience, be watchful of the murderous savages that may just be awaiting entry into your fragrant dwelling.
Sincerely your blogging pal,
Lauren
Do you have any experience with being stung by wasps or bees? What were your favorite childhood treats?
Shared with: Full Plate Thursday
Rosemary Grieve
These sound DELICIOUS! Looking forward to trying your recipe. I’m in the UK – what do your T / t’s mean in terms of measurements? Here we have: teaspoon – desert spoon – table spoon. With thanks + good wishes 😀
Lauren
Hi Rosemary,
T is for tablespoon and t is for teaspoon. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
Sarah
These look absolutely delicious! I love working legumes into healthy dessert recipes. I’m going play around with this idea this afternoon 🙂
Jo
I want to thank you so very much for this recipe. I credit these cookies with keeping my feed-refusing toddler off a nasal-gastric tube (which is the path we were forced down with her older sister). Protein!! In a chocolate cookie. Bless you for this recipe. They work beautifully every time &I with cannelleni beans if I’ve run out if black beans and I can raven bake it as a little loaf. Anyway. Thank you.
Lauren
Oh, that’s so great Jo, I’m so happy your little one enjoyed them too! 🙂
Claudy
Your cookie recipe is a great idea for Passover baking when regular flour is not used.
I tried this recipe with chickpea flour, because I was out of rice flour, and it was for a friend who has an allergy to eggs wheat and dairy. It’s perfect! Tasted very good, but I would like to try it with milk chocolate cocoa for myself.
Thank you!
Lauren
Thanks Claudy, I’m so happy you enjoyed them!
Linda
Hi if you dont want to use stevia in the recipes what would you suggest?
Lauren
Hi Linda,
Sorry for the delay, I would try adding another tablespoon or so of a granulated sweetener.
Vanessa M.
I followed a commenter’s suggestion and used whey protein instead of brown rice powder (I was out!!!), 1/4 tsp each of baking soda and baking powder, and only used 1/4 tsp salt. I used red kidney beans instead of black beans (once again, because I was out) and the cookies were still a beautiful dark chocolate color. Yummy straight out of the oven, and good at room temperature! I’ve only made a few black bean cookie recipes, but this is the best one I’ve made, hands down!
Lauren
So happy you enjoyed them Vanessa!
Jo
These look so yummy. My girls will just love these! They’re always begging me for the double chocolate chip cookies at the bakery, and I’ve been searching for a healthy alternative. I think these will be winners in my household!
Keri
These were great. I used vanilla whey protein powder instead of brown rice flour and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, baking soda and baking powder. They were great right out of the oven and did not fall apart when they were warm.Yummy!!
Lauren
That’s great Keri, thanks for the comment!
lia
I used mung beans instead of black beans. I agree with the commenter that said it was too much salt, and the texture is definitely more “beany” than “brownie,” but I still can’t stop eating them. (My husband wasn’t fooled into thinking they were normal brownie cookies.)
Kat
I’m new to baking with beans (but love what I have tried so far !) I really like chocolate walnut cookies , do you think if I added some chopped walnuts to the batter they would still come out ok?
Lauren
I think that would work great! 🙂
Laura
Just wondering if you have tried using half baking powder to half baking soda…you might get the best of both doing that. I know of other recipes that use both.
Lauren
Sure, that would work!
konstantina
So remember when cooking this recipe keep doors and windows shut so you can avoid unwanted predators! Lol Bless will definitely try this one! 🙂
Donna
Hi
I just realized I needed brown rice flour, just got back from the store…don’t want to go back.
any other flour that would work? I have buckwheat in the house, coconut, teff….oat but I would rather not use the oat…..thanks. if you think oat is best please let me know, however. thx
Lauren
Hi Donna,
Sorry for the delay, buckwheat or teff flour should work! 🙂
Gaby
Hi Lauren:
I’m looking for a grain-free recipe. Do you think coconut flour would work as a substitute?
Maxine
Coconut flour worked for me!
Carey
I think 1/2 tsp of salt, even sea salt, is way too much. Mine were almost inedible :/ Maybe because I skipped one of the tablespoons of sugar?
Marissa
Hi I was wondering if chickpeas would work instead of black beans 😛 I don’t have any black beans in the house but I really wanna try make these!
Lauren
Hi Marissa,
I would think they would, though the cookies may be a bit lighter in color and have a slightly different taste. They would definitely offer the same consistency though. 🙂
Cassie
I love fudgy cookies but haven’t had any since giving up gluten… and giving up cookies as a whole during Christmas because I know what a dark, dark path that leads me down… I have to try these, they look great!
amber
Love this recipe, Lauren! So awesome. 🙂
We had a wasp problem in our old house – we lived in a new development with few trees and sparse vegetation and we had nests ALL over our house (and a two story house so they were hard to reach). They are aggressive little buggers. I had to laugh though at your description. Thanks for the giggle tonight. And good for you girl. I’m proud of you for going for it (despite your fear) and getting that thing of your house!
Lauren
Thank you Amber! Yes, wasps are scary! We still haven’t sorted out the girls’ allergies, so I’m scared of one of them getting stung and having a bad reaction as well. I’m happy you found the story amusing! 😀
Gabby @ the veggie nook
Eeesh not a fun experience! I am so afraid of wasps too, I just freeze when I see them. I guess I figure if I’m not moving, they can’t see me? No it’s not logical but my muscles refuse respond! Don’t know what I’d have done in your situation!
On the plus side, these look amazing 🙂
Lauren
Hahaha, my husband and I both cracked up over your comment! 😀
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat
No wonder you attracted wasps. I can’t believe you didn’t attract all of the neighborhood pets with those incredible looking cookies! We had a wasp infestation. There was no shooing them out the door either. They were living in our chimney and started flying into our home in droves. I’m a vegan, but you have to protect yourself and your family!
Lauren
Hahaha, thank you Heather! I needed a nice comment after today! 🙂
Mike @TheIronYou
Lauren v Wasp 1-0, but you need to master your snipering skills Lauren. One hard blow, that’s really all you need.
Great looking cookies btw, I could definitely use a couple right now!
Lauren
Lololol, thanks buddy!
Melissa @ Nourish By Melissa
I’ve tried so many black bean things but these look so unique for some reason haha! They look nothing like black beans, I will certainly give them a try 🙂
Amanda
I am the same way with bugs – irrationally scared (moths are my nemesis! I just find them so repulsive). I’ve actually passed this fear on to Honey (yes, my dog) who now cries when there’s a bug in the apartment. Last time we had a wasp come inside, I ended up vacuuming it up with the long hose so I could keep my distance! And then I made Aaron empty the vacuum outside when he got home. This stuff only seems to happen when Aaron’s at work
.
Your cookies look great! I am so jealous of your weather right now. It was in the single digits in Boston last night. I’m trying to figure out how we can move somewhere warm in the winters…
Lauren
A vacuum would have been a great idea! We have a ShopVac that would have sucked him up so fast!
Yikes on your weather! Tucson is lovely in the winters, and you have a fellow blogging buddy here… 😉
dawn
the cookies look good but your story is PRICELESS! you poor thing!
i think all women hate insects/bugs of any kind, but if we’re by ourselves, we get it done.
glad you’re safe, LOL!
Lauren
Haha, thanks Dawn! 🙂